The Pebble In Your Shoe

I do a lot of walking, jogging, and/or running. I measure my steps each day, and have a target goal of at least 10,000 steps per day. Most days I’m able to do considerably more. Some days I am on a treadmill, but I prefer the outdoors when the weather is nice. There’s nothing than breeze, the sun, and a run.

Recently, while running, I felt something in my shoe, other than my foot. I didn’t want to break my stride and stop, so I continued on while trying to adjust my foot to alleviate the discomfort. I pushed on a bit farther and then became aware that I was beginning to limp.

Finally giving in, I stopped, untied my shoe, and looked for what was causing my problem. I didn’t see anything, so I put my shoe back on, retied it and started off again. Ah yes, that seemed to be much better . . . for a few steps. Then, there it was again. Something was still in there.

A few more steps, and I stopped once more. Untying and removing my shoe again, I looked but still saw nothing. I then turned the shoe over and gave it a good, swift shake. Looking down intently, I was finally able to see the tiniest pebble fall from my shoe. It was so small and camouflaged against the asphalt that I almost needed a magnifying glass to see it.

Until I dealt with the pebble, it continued to resurface. It was barely visible, yet its presence was very well known. Strange how something so small affected my whole body.

A lot of people are limping through life with something they don’t need to carry. Life is full of little pebbles, and more often than not, it’s the little things that are not dealt with that cause us to walk through life with a limp.

Those tiny pebbles of worry, stress, anxiety, disappointment, and concern for things that are out of our control dominate a huge part of our days. To those who are viewing from the outside, we look fine. No one can tell anything is wrong. We learn to shift our foot, act as if nothing is wrong, and continue to move forward until one day, if not dealt with, we realize that we’re walking with a limp. Until you deal with the pebbles of life, they will continue to irritate you.

Little things make a big difference.

Often it’s not the size, but rather the position of those things that cause us pain, and until we separate those things from our lives, we will continue to walk with a limp.

It has been said that, “It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out, it’s the pebble in your shoe.”

Catch the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom. Song of Solomon 2:15

If you’re struggling with some little things in your life that you’re refusing to confront, and you’re beginning to notice a limp, stop. It’s okay. Take a break. If you have to shake some things out of your life, go ahead. Life is not a sprint, it’s a marathon.

Deal with those things that are in your control. 

Release those things that are out of your control.

Still Believing!